Omaha daily bee., 1887-05-28
u., Him y,nd,ca,s Himself

A paper published IN the town Of
Wayne Is in high dudgeon over what
II calls the discourteous treatment which
the Hon. MIR. Slater received at the hands
of the BEE during his recent visit 10
Omaha.
Our indignant contemporary asserts
that as representative OF Wayne to the
railroad conference at Omaha, "Mr. Sla-
ter was entitled to respectful treatment
and the malicious attack upon him by
the BEE was unjustfiable and entirely
uncalled for inasmuch as the BEE failed
to make good its accusation against
Slater and other members OF the judi
cary committee before the legislature.
MIR. Slater Is therefore called upon to
vindicate himself by bringing Rosewater
before the bar Of justice in an action for
criminal libel under the new libel law.
Now we hope MIR. Slater will not wait
until tho new libel law goes into effect
in July. lie ought to proceed to repair
his damaged reputation without delay.
He can do so by bringing civil damage
libel suit at Omaha. or he can bring
Rosewater before the bar OF justice in q
Douglas county court by fling COM
plant against him for criminal libel.
We promise him in advance that we shall
interposc no objection to speedy trial
and fair hearing. 1t will certainly af-
ford the BEE great pleasure to exone-
rate MIR. Slater. If we fail to prove by a
preponderance of testimony that he is
one of the most brazen rogues that ever
misrepresented constituency in the leg
islature. 1t is true the Judiciary boodlers
we're not convicted before the legislature.
1t would have been next to lmpo ssible to
convict them before the committee which
the conspirators had packed to prevent q
proper and thorough investigate on.
They would have been white.
washed even If the committee
had been divided IN its report.
That was the opinion of Speaker Harlan
and Mr.. Dempster. chairman OF the COM
mittee appointed by the speaker. 1t
was because Slater. Russell, Bowman 4
Co. had packed the committee and fore
stalled an impartial investigation that
tho charges were not pressed. Church
Howe who knows thing or two about
| legislative boodlers and white
wash. declared openly when the commit
tee was increased by the addition of the
men picked and named by tho conspira-
tors -'that does settle It," But it did
not settle 1t in the minds of any honest
man who has read the statement that
was sworn to and filed by the editor Of
the BEE with the first committee
appointed to make the investigation. Sc
much on that score. And now let us ask
why any notorious boodler should bt
treated with courtesy and respect by the
BEE or any other paper, The tact tina
he was representative of the citizens o
Wayne to railroad conference, made hin
no more respectable tina when he was
representative Of Wayne county in th'
legislature. Omaha was the last place
that Slater should have been sent as q
spokesman and representative. Omahs
has not forgotten his infamous perform
ances in mutilatlng her charter, leaving
her without registration, and imposing
upon her citizens fifteen new Justices o
the peace and other damaging changes
The idea that the representative of an,
locality on railroad conference become
vested with the dignities OF a plenipoten
tiary, whose person and reputation ar
sacred, is too absurd for anything. Il
fact, diplomatic usage justlfies the dis
courteous reception of any representa-
tive known to have been unfriendly o
disreputable. 1t was an insult to Oman
to send this man Slater as representa-
tive, and by rights the board of trad
should have politely shown him the doo
when no made his appearance.
II the citizens Of northern Nebraska
who desire to cooperate with Omaha il
the extension of railroads. want court
eous treatment for their representative
from the leading daily of this city, the
should keep their boodlers at home.